Automatic
by WriteHere2FeelJoy
Summary: "You can think of it as a plan of Zaunite technologic invasion. Replacing Piltovian parts…" He grabbed her hand firmly, subconsciously adding just enough pressure to show his growing impatience, and moved it away from the rifle. "…with Zaunite, bit by bit." CaitlynViktor for a friend. AU.


_"It's automatic,_  
_When you say things get better,_  
_But they never."_

_ - "Automatic" by Tokio Hotel_

It was a fine day in Piltover. In a small mechanic shop, Caitlyn was just inquiring the owner about her rifle's current condition, hoping to have it restored to a pristine condition; A task the shop owner found extremely challenging, having never dealt with her kind of gear before. The situation, thankfully, was resolved by a young man who happened to walk in the store. Caitlyn recognized him instantly as he did the same. He smiled at her politely and came over when the owner briefed him on Caitlyn's request.

"I can fix this."

Viktor took over her rifle and handled it with extra care, as if it was one of his own creations. The trigger had grown dull and its scopes were broken, but nothing too difficult for his deft hands to repair.

She waited and watched as he worked with the delicate tools that he carried around. There was something in him that had always fascinated her; perhaps it was his sincerity, perhaps it was the patience and devotion he demonstrated… or simply, perhaps it was Him. His dark hair and brown eyes; the look on his face. The young detective brushed away a lock of brown hair from her face at the thought. Being this close to him as opposed to one glance every few months stirred her inner curiosity, and, as a second nature, Caitlyn couldn't help but inspect him further as he did the same to her beloved rifle.

"Why is it that you rarely come to Piltover?"

He looked up. Her words broke his concentration. "I'm Zaunite," said he, with a slightly confused expression. "The competition in my area of study between our city states is fierce." Viktor returned to the work at hand quickly, dismissing her question and letting the blue print of the rifle flood his imagination again. It was strange how natural conversation just happened between them, even though this was the first time they had ever talked.

Caitlyn opened her mouth, but not saying anything. Then, as soon as her hesitation passed, she pressed her gloved hand on the body of her rifle. The Zaunite looked to her once more, this time annoyed; He did not appreciate being interrupted.

"Then why help me, why fix a Piltovian invention?" _A foolish question._ She thought to herself, blaming her quick tongue.

As she had expected, he retorted, "You can think of it as a plan of Zaunite technologic invasion. Replacing Piltovian parts…" He grabbed her hand firmly, subconsciously adding just enough pressure to show his growing impatience, and moved it away from the rifle. "…with Zaunite, bit by bit. Now if you would allow me to finish."

For a moment, Caitlyn did not realize the warmth of his hand on hers. When she did, however, it had already disappeared. She was left hanging, trying to recall the short sensation on her own. It was not meant to leave a special impression, but somehow it did to her. She could not explain the reasoning behind why she was feeling such way; it just occurred to her.

Maybe, just maybe, that a part of her was replaced by him that day. An irremovable hardware programmed in her, branded Zaunite.

* * *

Gas filled the air and hunted the remaining survivors of a forbidden, but inevitable chemical warfare between Zaun and Piltover. The once joy and laugher filled streets of the City of Progress were littered with corpses and walking deads who awaited the blissful moment of termination after long suffering from the poison in their bodies.

Among them came a familiar figure. Her light coughing rang like thunder through these empty streets. Hollow echos and hollow promises. Caitlyn used her rifle as a cane to support her broken body. In a way she was thankful for the smog and gas that obscured her body, so she wouldn't see her deformed self when she looked into the glass walls of the buildings around her.

She never thought the Zaunites would be so cruel. _No_, She kept telling herself, _There is humanity left in Zaunites. _ And what did she get in return? Her home destroyed in the midst of a chemical, technological war; Herself about to vanish with the rest of her city.

A small part of her held on and kept pushing her forward; the part that believed as soon as she walks out of this fog, she would find clarity and shelter. With heavy steps she dragged herself through the streets, each step more difficult than the last. Finally, she could not feel her legs anymore. They gave out beneath her, and darkness embraced her vision. If this was time for last thoughts, then hers would be of the time when a particular Zaunite demonstrated kindness to her and impressed her with his knowledge. The knowledge of his city. The knowledge of Zaun.

But now this knowledge had been twisted and used for destruction. With each fallen tower fell a little piece of the good image Caitlyn had made up for Viktor's city. At last, it had diminished into confusion, endless questions repeating _Why?_ And eventually hatred for being betrayed by something she once thought was true.

A loud boom came above her. She knew the debris were going to fall and smash her body into the ground, so she did not bother moving. Even if she survived, Caitlyn knew that she'd rather die than look at herself in the mirror again.

A whisper and a hand held her up somehow. She thought it was the souls from the other realm to take her away from this pain, little did she expect the worst.

"Deus ex machina, lady. You will be alright." The voice of a stranger stirred ripples in her darkness.

"You will be _better_ than alright."

* * *

_Sniper C Activated._

"Look at her… She's magnificent." The scientist jotted down a few words in his notepad.

_Initial test results computing… complete. Test result GREEN._

"You are Piltover's only hope." Another voice agreed.

_/Whoami _

"There is a part in her core that we were unable to modify, but that shouldn't influence the process much."

_I am Sniper C. I am Piltover's only hope._

"Caitlyn?" The first scientist put down his notepad and waved his hand at the half-android.

_I must remove the Zaunite part in me._

She looked at the scientist blankly. Her new vision granted her the ability to see through human bodies, allowing her to mark their vital organs. One of her glassy purple eye was replaced by a blue orb; it fit perfectly in the metal mask that covered half of her face. Lifting her arms, she observed the electricity that pulsed through them with the movement. She was not herself anymore, but the terrifying machine she had been changed into. Next to her was her trusted rifle.

"It was broken in half when we rescued you, so we had to adjust it. We hope you find it handier than before." The scientist handed her the new rifle.

She took it, caressed its body instinctively as she used to, and stared into the scope. She lined up her sight to the wall behind the scientists and placed her finger on the trigger. Everyone began to feel nervous in the room. Some of the scientists backed off a few steps as hints of fear flickered across their eyes.

A second later, Caitlyn put down the rifle and returned to a static stage. The crowd around her huddled once more, waiting for her to make another move as the awkward silence continued.

"Can you understand me, Caitlyn?" The head scientist took a brave step towards the sniper.

She looked up abruptly at him and nodded. "Yes."

"What are you thinking about?"

The blue orb in her eyes turned bright red.

"Kill all Zaunites." She clutched the rifle tightly.

The scientist smiled as he looked to his colleagues; the project was successful.

* * *

Viktor couldn't believe what he was seeing.

The sheriff he once knew had been… changed, into an android. He thought it was modeled after her appearance, but with a second look he realized that it was Caitlyn herself. He raised his hands, surrendering, "Caitlyn?" He did not dare to move.

The reborn sniper stared at him with her red eye. The laser sight projected a dot on his forehead. "You did this to me." Her voice was cold and emotionless.

"Did what to you?"

She lowered her rifle and clicked a button over her chest piece. The part shifted to the side, revealing a glowing core that was her heart. A small tinge of green covered its surface.

Viktor was confused at first, but soon he figured out what she meant. The half-android had the past memories of the sheriff he knew, and now it wanted to get rid of it. The machine wanted to perfect itself by removing her remaining humanity.

She approached him as Viktor stayed in place. Soon she was within the small circle of his personal space. He could hear the ticking clockwork inside her, gears gnashing against each other in an agonizing symphony.

"Fix it." She watched him, unmoving. Her command was automatic.

"You want me to-"

"Take out the Zaunite part and replace it with Piltovian." She grabbed his hand and placed it over her core. "Rid this system of its faults."

Viktor felt the small pulse beneath its metal surface. _Astonishing._ He never thought Piltovians could build something like her. They must had been desperate after the war to invent a machine for destruction, which longed for nothing other than the blood of enemies. Who better than Caitlyn could fulfill this duty?

_But is it still Caitlyn? It has to be. _Viktor suddenly brought her into his arms, he even surprised himself with the impulsive action. The coolness made him shiver; It was not the same warmth he remembered. The warmth of her hand, her smile… the warmth of a friend, and possibly more, if they were born in a different world.

At that moment he was able to sympathize with what she had been through, but he could only imagine the pain she felt. Had he known this would come to her when he was handed the cursed blueprint, he would have burnt it straight away without a second glance… but everything was done.

"I can fix this. I will fix you."

The robot looked at him, the tranquil look on its face sent another shiver down Viktor's spine.

"Do it."

Viktor heard her rifle drop as the robot entered non-combat mode. He leaned into her ear and whispered, "Forgive me, Caitlyn."

She did not reply. Viktor smiled and stepped back to look into her once beautiful eyes one last time before pulling the core out of her chest. The android collapsed immediately, but Viktor caught her in his arms before it could hit the ground.

He stared at the core; the tinge of Zaunite green was pulsing on its own, even without the mechanism to sustain it. He looked back at the android in his arms, and then, he made a decision.

He lifted her and began walking through the debris and destruction she left on her way.

_We are going back to my lab, Caitlyn._

_I can fix this._

_I will fix you._

* * *

**A/NI hope you liked the story! :) again, this was written for a friend on tumblr who is an amazing Caitlyn roleplayer. This was inspired by her careless comment on CaitxViktor the other day and a random RP scenario generator result of "Body Swap." I was tempted to see how things will turn out if Caitlyn was the robot in the relationship, hope you enjoyed and thank you for R&R.**


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